Trump's Obamacare Decimation Is Drawing Near, California Considering Their Own Insurance System

March is almost here, and President Trump has declared the upcoming month as the end for Obamacare. Here's what California might be planning.

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President Trump has been all about image. When he says he's going to do something, he'll try to do it to protect his reputation. These are good values – a man's reputation carries his pride, his commitment, and pretty much his life – protecting your reputation should be a priority. But, Trump said he'd replace the Affordable Care Act this March, which means he's most likely going to try.

California politicians are thinking about implementing a Medicare-like system if Trump's replacement turns out to be disastrous. California's single-payer system would have their residents make routine payments to a state agency, which acts like a statewide health insurance company. The state agency would be the one paying medical bills when any resident received medical care from an approved healthcare provider or facility.

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But the problem is how payments are made to the state agency. These California politicians are playing around with some creative ways to fund it – either simply funneling all healthcare funding into it, including Medicare and Medicaid, or simply taking out a percentage from paychecks. But when California did the calculations a few years back, they found that after pooling all the funding, they'd be short billions. So there's still some kinks to iron out before they can truly achieve a universal healthcare system where no one is uninsured – and it just might not make it in time for Trump's March deadline.

California isn't the only state contemplating a statewide alternative to the federal healthcare system. Massachusetts implemented the affectionately nicknamed Romneycare system where almost all residents were insured. Their system also involved a central state agency that handled all healthcare insurance. Many other states are also coming up with their own independent healthcare systems.

Whether or not the U.S. will experience universal healthcare in the future is still iffy. The federal level is going to oppose it for as long as Trump remains president, which could be until 2024. But if all states implement their own quasi-universal healthcare system, then there might be hope. However, given that the federal government has ultimate authority over some matters – Trump may pass orders that limit states' ability to truly achieve a universal healthcare system.